16 CFR 1025.33 - Production of documents and things.

(1) To produce and permit the party making the request, or someone acting on behalf of that party, to inspect and copy any designated documents (including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, phono-records, and any other data compilation from which information can be obtained, translated, if necessary, by the party in possession through detection devices into reasonably usable form), or to inspect and copy, test, or sample any tangible things which constitute or contain matters within the scope of § 1025.31(c) and which are in the possession, custody, or control of the party upon whom the request is served, or

(2) To permit entry upon designated land or other property in the possession or control of the party upon whom the request is served for the purpose of inspection (including photographing), or sampling any designated object or operation within the scope of § 1025.31(c).

(b)Procedure for request. The request may be served at any time after the filing of an answer without leave of the Presiding Officer. The request shall set forth the items to be inspected, either by individual item or by category, and shall describe each item or category with reasonable particularity. The request shall specify a reasonable time, place, and manner for making the inspection and performing the related acts.

(c)Procedure for response. The party upon whom the request is served shall respond in writing within thirty (30) days after service of the request. The Presiding Officer may allow a shorter or longer time for response. The response shall state, with respect to each item or category requested, that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested, unless the request is objected to, in which event the reasons for objection shall be stated. If objection is made to only part of an item or category, that part shall be specified. The party submitting the request may move for an order under § 1025.36 with respect to any objection to or other failure to respond to the request or any part thereof, or to any failure to permit inspection as requested.

(d)Persons not parties. This section does not preclude an independent action against a person not a party for production of documents and things.

This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (“Commission,” “CPSC,” or “we”) is issuing this notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPR”) to update the Commission's Rules of Practice for Adjudicative Proceedings, (“Rules of Practice” or “Rules”). We are proposing to modernize the Rules of Practice to reflect changes in civil and administrative litigation since adoption of the Rules in 1980. Specifically, we propose changes to the Rules pertaining to discovery, electronic filing, the use of electronically stored information (“ESI”), and updates to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (“Federal Rules”), upon which our Rules are based. We also propose to update requirements for pleadings, motions, and motions for summary decisions, clarifications on the computation of time, and clarification on when amendments or supplemental pleadings require Commission approval. Additionally, we propose allowing a Presiding Officer to exercise discretion to avoid unnecessary delay or wasteful discovery and to consolidate cases in their entirety, or partially, for any purpose that serves the ends of justice. We also propose to set deadlines for the issuance of an Initial or Recommended Decision. Finally, we propose to remove outdated references to the Equal Access to Justice Act. We believe the proposed Rules will increase the efficiency of discovery, minimize the potential for delay in adjudicative proceedings, and ensure that, to the extent possible, Commission adjudicative proceedings address and resolve crucial issues of consumer product safety in a fair and impartial manner. This NPR seeks comments on the proposed changes to the Rules.